< Ruth 2 >
1 Basi Naomi alikuwa na jamaa wa upande wa mume wake, kutoka ukoo wa Elimeleki, mtu maarufu ambaye aliitwa Boazi.
Now Naomi was related through her husband to a very wealthy man of the family of Elimelech named Boaz.
2 Ruthu, Mmoabu, akamwambia Naomi, “Nitakwenda mashambani nikaokote mabaki ya nafaka nyuma ya yule nitakayepata kibali machoni pake.” Naomi akamwambia, “Nenda, binti yangu.”
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me now go into the fields and gather leftover grain behind anyone who will allow me.” “Go, my daughter,” she replied.
3 Basi akaenda, akaokota mabaki ya nafaka mashambani nyuma ya wavunaji. Ikatokea kwamba alijikuta anafanya kazi kwenye shamba lililokuwa mali ya Boazi, ambaye alitoka kwenye ukoo wa Elimeleki.
So she went to glean in the field after the reapers. As it happened, she was in that part of the field which belonged to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
4 Papo hapo Boazi akarudi kutoka Bethlehemu, akawasalimu wavunaji, akasema, “Bwana awe nanyi!” Nao wakamjibu, “Bwana akubariki.”
When Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you,” they answered him, “May the Lord bless you.”
5 Boazi akamuuliza msimamizi wa wavunaji, “Je, yule mwanamwali ni wa nani?”
“Whose girl is this?” Boaz asked his servant who had charge of the reapers.
6 Msimamizi akamjibu, “Ni yule Mmoabu aliyerudi kutoka nchi ya Moabu pamoja na Naomi.
The servant who had charge of the reapers replied, “It is the Moabite girl who came back with Naomi from the territory of Moab.
7 Yeye aliomba, ‘Tafadhali niruhusu niokote na kukusanya miongoni mwa miganda nyuma ya wavunaji.’ Naye ameshinda shambani tangu asubuhi pasipo kupumzika, isipokuwa kwa muda mfupi kivulini.”
She asked to be allowed to glean and gather sheaves after the reapers. So she came and has continued to work until now and she has not rested a moment in the field.”
8 Kisha Boazi akamwambia Ruthu, “Binti yangu, nisikilize. Usiende kuokota mabaki ya mavuno katika shamba lingine, na usiondoke hapa. Kaa hapa na hawa watumishi wangu wa kike.
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field nor leave this place, but stay here with my girls.
9 Angalia shamba wanaume wanamovuna, ufuate nyuma yao. Nimewaamuru wanaume hawa wasikuguse. Wakati wowote ukiona kiu, nenda kwenye mitungi ukanywe maji waliyoyateka wanaume hawa.”
Watch where the men are reaping and follow the gleaners. I have told the young men not to trouble you. When you are thirsty, go to the jars and drink of that which the young men have drawn.”
10 Kwa ajili ya hili, akasujudu mpaka nchi, akamwambia, “Jinsi gani nimepata kibali machoni pako, hata ukanijali mimi mgeni?”
Then she bowed low and said to him, “Why are you so kind to me, to take interest in me when I am just a foreigner?”
11 Boazi akamjibu, “Nimeambiwa yote uliyomtendea mama mkwe wako tangu mume wako alipofariki, na jinsi ulivyomwacha baba yako na mama yako na nchi yako ulimozaliwa, ukaja kuishi na watu ambao hukuwafahamu awali.
Boaz replied, “I have heard what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you left your father and mother and your native land to come to a people that you did not know before.
12 Bwana na akulipe kwa yale uliyoyatenda. Ubarikiwe kwa wingi na Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, ambaye umekimbilia mabawani mwake.”
May the Lord repay you for what you have done, and may you be fully rewarded by the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
13 Kisha Ruthu akasema, “Naomba niendelee kupata kibali machoni pako, bwana wangu. Kwa maana umenifariji na umezungumza kwa ukarimu na mjakazi wako, hata ingawa mimi si bora kama mmoja wa watumishi wako wa kike.”
Then she said, “I trust I may please you, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, although I am not really equal to one of your own servants.”
14 Wakati wa chakula, Boazi akamwambia Ruthu, “Karibia hapa. Kula mkate na uchovye ndani ya siki.” Alipoketi pamoja na wavunaji, akampa nafaka zilizookwa. Akala kiasi alichotaka na kusaza.
At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, “Come here and eat some of the food and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed her some roasted grain. She ate until she was satisfied and had some left.
15 Alipoinuka ili kuokota mabaki ya nafaka, Boazi akawaagiza watu wake, “Hata kama atakusanya kati ya miganda, msimzuie.
When she rose to glean, Boaz gave this order to his young men: “Let her glean even among the sheaves and do not disturb her.
16 Badala yake, toeni masuke katika miganda, mwachieni ayaokote, na msimkemee.”
Also pull out some for her from the bundles and leave for her to glean, and do not find fault with her.”
17 Basi Ruthu akaokota masazo shambani hata jioni. Akatwanga ile shayiri aliyokusanya, ikajaa efa moja.
So she gleaned in the field until evening, then beat out what she had gleaned. It was about a bushel of barley.
18 Akaibeba na kuelekea mjini, naye mama mkwe wake akaona jinsi alivyoweza kuokota nafaka nyingi. Pia Ruthu akachukua kile alichobakiza baada ya kula na kushiba, akampa.
Then she took it up and went into the town and showed her mother-in-law what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her that which she had left from her meal after she had had enough.
19 Basi mkwewe akamuuliza, “Je, umeokota wapi leo? Umefanya kazi wapi? Abarikiwe mtu yule aliyekujali.” Ndipo Ruthu akamwambia mama mkwe wake juu ya yule ambaye yeye alikuwa amefanyia kazi katika shamba lake. Akasema, “Yule mtu niliyefanyia kazi kwake leo, anaitwa Boazi.”
“Where did you glean today, and where did you work?” asked her mother-in-law. “A blessing on him who took notice of you!” So she told her mother-in-law where she had worked. “The name of the man with whom I worked today,” she said, “is Boaz.”
20 Naye Naomi akamwambia mkwewe, “Bwana ambariki! Hakuacha kuonyesha fadhili zake kwa walio hai na kwa waliokufa.” Pia akamwambia, “Huyo mtu ni mmoja wa jamaa yetu wa karibu anayestahili kutukomboa.”
Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the blessing of the Lord rest on this man who has not ceased to show his loving-kindness to the living and to the dead. The man,” she added, “is a near relation of ours.”
21 Kisha Ruthu, Mmoabu, akasema, “Hata aliniambia, ‘Kaa pamoja na watumishi wangu mpaka watakapomaliza kuvuna nafaka yangu yote.’”
“He told me,” Ruth said, “that I must keep near his young men until they have completed all his harvest.”
22 Kisha Naomi akamwambia Ruthu mkwewe, “Binti yangu, itakuwa vyema wewe ufuatane na wasichana wake, kwa sababu katika shamba la mtu mwingine wanaweza kukudhuru.”
Naomi said to Ruth, “It is best, my daughter, that you should go out with his girls because you might not be as safe in another field.”
23 Kwa hivyo Ruthu akafuatana na watumishi wa kike wa Boazi, akaokota mpaka mwisho wa mavuno ya shayiri na ya ngano. Naye aliishi na mama mkwe wake.
So she gleaned with the girls of Boaz until the end of the barley and wheat harvest; but she lived with her mother-in-law.